Without Black Flag most of the music you like would not exist! Sweeping statement maybe but as far as punk and hardcore is concerned they were one of the forerunners that were responsible for defining the style, certainly as far as over in the USA was concerned. Along with the likes of The Dead Kennedys and later Minor Threat they are bands that were critical for paving the way that countless others would follow and as one up and coming documentary maker observed would be largely responsible for leading to The Decline Of Western Civilisation; for which we can only give them our heartfelt thanks.
Black Flag’s story begins in the year 1976 BH (before Henry). Yep, although many fondly remember the years that the group were fronted by Henry Rollins they were not at first and were gathered from the Californian surf bum, street detritus by Greg Ginn. The guitarist and main song writer has seen it through thick and thin. He has survived as the one constant through break ups and a constant revolving door of band members. There have been deaths and births, there have been divisions and infighting on what is seen to be scene, what is hardcore punk and what is not? There have been countless sub genres formed around it all from straightedge to emo core, from Krishnacore to you fuckingnameititsprobablybeenacore. The elder statesman has seen it all but is still going strong.
So the reason for this history lesson you ask? Well we gladly received a mere 25 years after originally laid on wax the first two Black Flag singles restored to all their glory on maxi 10” vinyl. The first of these Nervous Breakdown [9] may have only been around the 5 minute mark but the four nihilistic numbers it contained pretty much were all that a load of disenfranchised down trodden youths needed and it pretty much heralded the slacker generation. If you have one of the originally pressed 300 copies then I guess you are far from slack, this will do me and there is nothing like dropping the needle on a record and hearing songs like this again. The only and very un slack problem is that it’s best not to sit down straight away as you are only going to have to stand up again and turn it over in a couple of minutes. A simple slightly fuzzy chord hones in, bass chugs and those nasally vocals come in high in the mix and full of melody. I like Keith Morris’s vocals a lot and with these along with the melody, which is thick and completely unforgettable here, it is a bit difficult to not look back over the other side of the pond to the UK where the likes of The Damned had the aggression with New Rose and The Buzzcocks the somewhat hooky melodic noise. As far as Nervous Breakdown is concerned, if you think you have never heard it and play it, I bet you will find you have! The B) side crams in three quick fire numbers all similarly deadbeat and downtrodden. Fix Me is about being broken and lyrically fucked up as it stomps over you in less than a minute. I’ve Had It is about going a bit postal and hating your job with a drunk yobbish swagger about its guitar groove and wild culminating lunatic laugh. Favourite though is ‘Wasted’ an anthem to many about getting off your head. Just listen to the lyrics, it even can’t be bothered to go through the song and melody more than a couple of times before it burns out on a sudden stop. I have to admit it was a bit odd hearing this version after so many years as the Rise Above W Memphis III covers album by Hank and Exene Cervenka is a version I have literally overdosed on.
Moving on to Jealous Again [8] with its bright yellow striking cover. The band were keen to get on with new tracks surprised perhaps with the success of the previous EP. Gathered in the studio though with the first new drummer in the fold disaster was about to strike as according to legend and Greg Ginn, original singer Keith Morris threw what can only be described as all his toys along with his guitar out the pram and quit the band. Welcoming to the fold new singer Chavo Pederast they were quick to fire out 5 more distempered though less nihilistic tracks of equally in your face agit hardpunk. The title track has some rock n roll guitar riffs and a sound that could be equally The Ramones, The Pistols, The Damned and even Motorhead about it! The vocals may not have been quite as course but they were nice and sharp and the melody just as contagious. ‘White Minority’ is an observation and one whose lyrics may well have been misconstrued by the knucklehead brigade but it’s a real stand out number here with its borstal breaking out chant about it If the Americans knew how to play football it could have been a real edgy stadium chanter. ‘No Values’ is spat out with real snarling contempt and the bouncing beat is a pogo inducing chicken-hawk pit stomper.
There really was no stopping the band after this and next to come was one of their most well-known numbers ‘Six Pack’ which was to feature on their seminal first album Damaged in 1978 along with the likes of Rise Above, TV Party and Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie! The rest they say is history and that’s far from over as Greg Ginn will be waving his flag at the band’s first UK show in 30 years at The Hevy fest in August!
Pete Woods
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